Ruthlessly
by Theotherevoker
Summary: Male Armin Female Eren, High school. AU; Armin, once a sweet and yet bullied boy, now a ruthless harsh mouth tough guy. The fact that his best friend Eren left him alone in his times of need made him resent her in a way like no other, But when his newer best friend Marco brings up the possibility of love, Armin gets confused and starts to soften to the one person he needs.
1. Chapter 1

Nothing irritated Armin more, than everyone grouping him and his childhood friend Eren together whenever she did something wrong.

"Look assholes! I'm not her keeper, we just grew up together!" He snapped at a group of kids gathered around him and Eren at their lockers. She stood there, chest puffed out and eyes narrowed in a glare while Armin stood beside her, his own eyes narrowed in a cruel hatefulness. The kids looked bemused by how similar Eren and him were, which only made him more agitated over the whole situation regarding Eren.

Armin growled reaching his daily limit, and grabbed the first kid in his line of sight. He raised his fist up and slammed it in the kid's face, only to be tackled by the other kids. Eren stared in shock and watched as her best friend fought off the others, one by one.

She was shocked mostly because her childhood best friend, Armin Arlert, used to be the sweetest kid alive, but he was always being bullied. And then one day, something happened to him and he started to become mean, and stopped talking with her and Mikasa and he became even more distant when his grandfather died. His grandfather was all he had left and it left a big hole in his chest.

Eren regretted not being with Armin when he started going through all the pain and suffering. And she was sure he resented her for it, which only hurt her more.

"Hey knock it off! I'm the one who started it! What, are you afraid of a girl kicking your asses?" Eren snapped suddenly, pulling a kid off Armin. He shot her a dark glare before shoving another kid off him and straightening up. The kids on the ground all froze and backed away from around him. The others helped their friends up and scattered down the hallway as a teacher came wandering down.

"Why'd you do that Eren, i could have handled it." Armin snapped, walking off with his books to class. Eren just stood there in surprise, her eyes wide with hurt. How could you Armin… why are you pushing me away still?

Armin sat through his classes all day, fuming from the morning fight. He decided to zone out since he was the top in his grade and didn't even need to study.

When the bell rang, he got up and walked out without a word to anyone around him. As he walked down the hallway, his arm was grabbed and he instantly twisted the foreign limb, glaring into two wide gold flaked eyes. "Marco. What the hell did i say about grabbing me like that, you ass!" He snapped. Marco smiled apologetically and shook his head.

"Sorry about that Armin, but um. You seem more moody than usual. Did you get into another fight?" Marco asked kindly. Armin stopped walking for a minute and glared at the ground.

"It's that stupid girl's fault. She is always picking fights and i'm always the one to end them." He growled low. Marco nodded and patted Armin's back lightly.

"I think it's because there is some other motive to you fighting for her. You know what i mean Armin?" Marco murmured.

Armin froze up and turned on Marco with a dark glint in his eyes. He reached out, and curled his fingers into Marco's collar, pulling him dangerously close. "Are you saying that you fucking think i'm in…," He stopped, and released Marco. His face blank and eyes wide.

Marco let out a sharp breath, watching his friend assess the sudden new thought. He was actually quite surprised his brooding short friend hadn't thought of it before this mention. Armin only stood there, going pale at the stuttering thought.

Am i in… with Eren…?


	2. Chapter 2

Armin laid in his bed, contemplating what his friend had suggested. "Am i even capable to love at this point? Everyone i ever loved died."

He stared at the ceiling harder and gritted his teeth. "This is such bullshit… fucking Marco."

With an annoyed groan, he sat up and grabbed the book lying idly on the nightstand. After a few hours of reading, he found himself drifting to sleep.

At school the next day, Eren and Mikasa were waiting at the front of the school entrance for Armin to show up. At the sight of him, they blocked his way into the school and he stood there with a dark glare. "Mikasa, get out of my way." He snapped.

Mikasa stood his ground, and just stared blankly at his friend. Armin rolled his eyes and went to push through them, but Mikasa hooked his leg around Armin's and swooped his legs out from under him, leaving Armin now surprised on his back, winded. "We need to talk." Was muttered from Mikasa's lips, his face staying stoic.

Eren squatted beside her friend and frowned deeply, her eyes shimmering in their fierce green way. "Armin, we are your closest friends! Let us in okay?" She said gently.

"What...makes you think… i even want to… let you in?" He snapped back, trying to get his breath back. Eren shook her head, but he could see the hurt in her eyes suddenly.

Eren sat on top of his stomach suddenly, earning a gasp from Armin, and she crossed her arms. "I guess we will have to do this the hard way then. I'm going to sit on you all day long until you let us in." She snapped back. He felt her pain and seriousness, groaning out loud.

"Are you crazy? You are such a ridiculous girl! Mikasa! Get her off of me you bastard!" He started to squirm and Mikasa simply looked away, not moving an inch.

Marco and Jean walked up just as the bell started to ring. "Uh, you guys okay?" Marco mumbled in confusion. Armin set his glaring eyes upon his friend. Marco read the instant pleading of the angry one's eyes and he turned to Jean. "Will you grab Eren?" Jean looked appalled to have to touch Eren, but after a look from Marco he sighed heavily and nodded, taking her up under the arms. Eren put up a fight against the struggling Jean, but Marco quickly helped Armin before she broke away from Jean's grip.

"Crazy! If you wanted me to let you in, you'd let me do it when I'M ready!" Armin screamed suddenly, causing his friends to jump. He pushed Mikasa out of the way and went to class.

Eren stared after him and trembled a bit, Marco petting her head gently. "Hey, i understand what your intentions are. They aren't bad, but now you know and now Armin can realize you are there for him okay?" She nodded slowly and leaned limply into Mikasa's side.

"C'mon, you're usually more stubborn Eren, quit moping, i like it better when you're annoying." Jean muttered, taking Marco's hand and dragging him inside the school doors. Mikasa looked down at the stunned girl and nodded.

"They are both right. Let's get to class okay?" He asked her. She sighed and grinned up at Mikasa suddenly.

"Who does that horseface think he is! Come on 'Kasa! Class is starting!" She said confidently, marching inside with a slightly smiling Mikasa.

Armin sat in class all day think about the way he has been acting. I… i haven't been myself since i was a kid… he thought. He knew Eren and Mikasa only cared about him, but he wasn't ready to share his feelings. Especially with the two people who always stuck up for him. He wasn't going to be the weak one anymore.

He walked out of class as the last bell rang and Marco waited outside for him. "Hey Armin!"

"Marco. Where is your other half?" He mumbled, trying to be civil to the one person he did trust with his secrets at the moment.

"He is making sure Connie and Bertholdt don't forget their group project." Marco smiled as he spoke, sitting next to his grumpy friend against the wall. Armin looked away and sighed, his face showing the vulnerable side to him that only Marco has seen lately.

"How do i let her in Marco? How do i take everything i'm feeling, and throw that at her?" Armin muttered absently. Marco looked over at his friend and realized that Armin was considering to open up soon. He smiled a bit and patted the blonde's hair reassuringly.

There was silence for a bit. Armin could tell Marco was weighing words in his mind, so he let the silence last. When the guy decided to finally speak, he coughed lightly first.

"Why not ask her out?" Marco said carefully.

Armin jumped a bit and eyed the freckled guy, eyes wide with a bit of fear. He had contemplated the idea of asking Eren out once, and he chickened out at the last minute. Could he really just up and ask her out? "But where would i ask her out too?"

"Well, there is always the diner, you guys could get a booth and you could tell her everything you're feeling." Marco turned to his friend and chuckled at the face he made.

Marco wouldn't steer me wrong, he never has.. Armin thought to himself. He was about to open his mouth to reply when Jean turned the corner and stopped in front of them, glaring down at Armin gently.

"Hey, did you get your shit situated?" Jean asked. Armin flinched but knew this was Jean's way of being worried about him. He grinned up suddenly and stood up, punching Jean's arm playfully.

"Yeah, thanks man, and thanks Marco, i've got something i've got to do so… i'll see you both later!" Armin smiled at them both, and they stared in surprise. It had been eight years since anyone has seen Armin smile and it was almost nostalgic for them.

Eren was walking down the road alone, thinking about this morning and sighing as Armin's words repeated in her head. Mikasa ended up staying behind today because he had to tutor someone in his AP Calculus class, so she had gone home by herself. She turned down the road, but she stopped in surprise.

Armin was standing there, a bouquet of wildflowers in his arms as he looked away stubbornly. She felt a sudden happiness and she walked up to him laughing gently. "What is this?" She asked.

Armin sighed, looking from the ground to Eren's eyes, and found himself lost in the way her eyes suddenly seemed more beautiful. He gawked at her awkwardly, confused on how he never noticed before. "...,"

"Armin? You okay? You're looking at me funny." Eren blushed lightly and shifted on her feet. Armin looked away again and shoved the bouquet into her hands.

"Let's go eat somewhere, i'll tell you what you want." Armin grumbled. Eren looked bewildered and she stared at him for what seemed like a long time. Then Armin found himself wrapped in a tight hug.

"I'd love too! How about tomorrow evening?" She squealed. Armin blinked rapidly and nodded in agreement. Then it hit him and he suddenly pulled away from her arms and ran down the road to his foster parents house faster than he ever had before.

Eren watched him go, hugging the bouquet to her chest and giggling. "He has become such a weird guy…,"


End file.
